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Rajinikanth's 'Jailer 2' Hits No. 2 Worldwide, With a Cameo That Was 40 Years in the Making

Only 'Street Fighter' earned more around the world this weekend. Here are the numbers, the record it tied, the Hrithik Roshan reunion fans are talking about and how the ending sets up a third film.

By , Editor in Chief · 4 min read

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Key facts

  • What: Jailer 2 grossed $31.2 million worldwide over Oct. 16-18, No. 2 behind Street Fighter (Variety)
  • India: an estimated INR224 crore in its four-day opening from Oct. 15, effectively tied with Coolie for the third-best Tamil start (Variety)
  • Worldwide (Sacnilk): Rs 317.15 crore gross in its first three days (Indian Express)
  • Who: Rajinikanth returns as "Tiger" Muthuvel Pandian; Nelson Dilipkumar writes and directs

Fact-checked by the House of Grey News Desk, sources linked below.

Rajinikanth smiling in a white kurta, beside the headline about Jailer 2's global box office
Rajinikanth in 2023 (cropped from a photo with Suresh Parthasarathy). Photo: Sureshciti / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Card by House of Grey. Full credits below.

Only one movie on the planet made more money than Rajinikanth this weekend, and the superstar's new film also brings back someone who shared the screen with him when he was just a kid.

Sun Pictures, the film's producer, shares audience reaction video for Jailer 2.
Director Nelson Dilipkumar thanks audiences for the reception to Jailer 2.
Variety: Jailer 2 ranks No. 2 at the global box office as Street Fighter leads.

Jailer 2 was the second-biggest film in the world over the Oct. 16-18 weekend, grossing $31.2 million according to Rentrak estimates, Variety reports. Only Paramount's Street Fighter, with $51.1 million, earned more.

The numbers: a tie with Coolie

Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, the sequel opened in India on Thursday, Oct. 15. Variety reports it grossed an estimated INR224 crore ($23.5 million) across its four-day extended opening. That is the third-highest four-day start on record for a Tamil-language film, and effectively level with another Rajinikanth movie, Coolie, which managed INR224.25 crore. Yes, Thalaivar is basically tying with himself.

Variety says the film began with $7 million on Thursday, dipped on Friday, then climbed back through the weekend, with Sunday bringing in $6.5 million. Tamil Nadu delivered the biggest share at $8.4 million. In North America, it debuted at No. 9 with $3.2 million for Friday to Sunday, taking its total there to $5.2 million.

Indian trade tracker Sacnilk counts things a little differently. Citing Sacnilk, The Indian Express reported that Jailer 2 crossed Rs 317.15 crore in worldwide gross in its first three days. That figure includes overseas earnings, so it is not the same measure as Variety's India-only estimate. The Express also reported Rs 59.70 crore net in India on opening day and Rs 37.10 crore on day two.

There is one bump in the road: the Express reported that major multiplex chains declined to screen the Hindi-dubbed version amid a disagreement over the film's streaming window.

Who's back, and who's new

Rajinikanth returns as "Tiger" Muthuvel Pandian, the retired prison warden from 2023's Jailer, with Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu and Mirnaa also back, Variety reports. New to the franchise are S.J. Suryah and Bollywood star Vidya Balan, plus Mithun Chakraborty and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Anirudh Ravichander again composed the music.

The cameos are a pan-India party. Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar return as Mathew and Narasimha, and Jackie Shroff plays Kamdev, according to Variety.

The twist: a reunion 40 years in the making

Then there is Hrithik Roshan, who turns up as Roddy. Here is the detail that makes fans melt: Variety notes the scene reunites Roshan with Rajinikanth 40 years after the 1986 Hindi film Bhagwan Dada, in which Roshan appeared as a child. The little boy from 1986 is now one of Bollywood's biggest stars, standing next to the same legend.

And this sequel almost didn't happen. During promotions, Rajinikanth said he has never been a fan of sequels, The Indian Express reported. "Usually, I don't prefer sequels," he said, adding that he turned down follow-ups to Baashha and Petta. He changed his mind after rewatching Jailer on streaming and spotting room for more story. The Express notes his only earlier sequel in a career of more than 50 years was 2.0.

Usually, I don't prefer sequels.

— Rajinikanth, as quoted by The Indian Express

Spoiler warning: how the ending sets up Jailer 3

Stop here if you haven't seen the film yet.

According to The Indian Express, Tiger is in police custody in the final moments when an officer hands him a phone with a "Good morning" message from Vidya Balan's character, revealing she survived. The officer turns out to be Vijay Sethupathi, and Tiger realizes his family is unprotected. The Express says the ending lays the groundwork for Jailer 3, though no third film has been officially announced.

A No. 2 global finish, a tie with his own record and a door left wide open? Tiger isn't retiring any time soon.

It was a huge weekend at the movies everywhere: see how Street Fighter won the U.S. box office, and catch up on Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's Ramayana world premiere plans.

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FAQ

How much has Jailer 2 made at the box office?

Variety, citing Rentrak estimates, reported $31.2 million worldwide over the Oct. 16-18 weekend and about INR224 crore ($23.5 million) in India across its four-day opening from Oct. 15. The Indian Express, citing Sacnilk, reported Rs 317.15 crore in worldwide gross in the film's first three days.

Is Hrithik Roshan in Jailer 2?

Yes. Variety reports that Hrithik Roshan appears as Roddy, reuniting him with Rajinikanth 40 years after the 1986 Hindi film Bhagwan Dada, in which Roshan appeared as a child.

Will there be a Jailer 3?

Nothing has been officially announced, but The Indian Express reports that the open ending of Jailer 2 lays the groundwork for a third film.

Who directed Jailer 2?

Nelson Dilipkumar wrote and directed both Jailer films for Sun Pictures, and Anirudh Ravichander again composed the music, according to Variety.

How we fact-checked this

Every fact, figure and quote in this story was checked against the 3 sources linked below (Variety, The Indian Express). Quotes appear as those sources reported them, anything unconfirmed is labeled as such, and the photos are Creative Commons licensed and credited.

Sources

Photo credits

Our story card adapts these photos (cropping, color and added text). Because a source photo is licensed CC BY-SA, the adapted card is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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